Review Blog

Aug 11 2014

Crikey and cat by Chris McKimmie

Allen & Unwin, 2014 ISBN 9781760110031.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Friendship, Creativity. McKimmie's abstract
drawings filled with colour, using a multitude of different
techniques and styles, media and fonts drag my eyes across each of
the pages, looking from one unusual image to the next, all the while
pondering the how, why and the what. It took me a few readings to
get into the why of the text, but this interest buoyed me along. It
always intrigues me to think about how kids view his work, but as I am no
longer in a school, this remains a mystery to me.
But I can imagine they will pour over the pages as I do, grabbing at
every clue, every word, every image, thinking about the plot line
and the end point. In this particular book, are two main characters,
Crikey the dog, and Cat. They are concerned that the stars have
disappeared and so their owner, Reg, drives to the hardware shop to
get some equipment. Cat goes home with Eve. Reg builds a ladder and
makes some stars, but a ferocious storm undoes all his work and
Eve's caravan is torn apart. Eve picks up all the fallen stars and
drives to Reg's place to give them back and he refixes them in the
sky.
The family is enlarged when Eve joins them, their friendship melded
through the creative use of the purchases from the all night
hardware shop. The image of the night sky, a brush of dark blue,
dominates many of the pages. Without the stars the night sky feels
cold and unfriendly and the fixing of the stars brings warmth to the
story.
The sparse words will make readers think about what is being said,
and ponder the characters making the stars, and their working
together to make this happen. The image of the storm, throwing
around everything in its path contrasts with the quietness of the
last page with everything in its place. I can imagine lots of stars
being made and placed around the classroom after reading this and
discussing it with a group of children, their imaginations roaring
ahead of the adult presenter.
Fran Knight